Butterflies
by Luisa
Summary: Takes place immediately after "Memory Lane"... yes, this is most definitely now a series! Buffy and Giles share a precious moment.


Title: Butterflies Author: Luisa Email: leyjd@hotmail.com Pairing: B/G Rating: G Distribution: Dword, Kattie, Dee, TL... all my usual archives. Anyone else, who wants it, just let me know where! Summary: Takes place immediately after "Memory Lane"... yes, this is most definitely now a series! Buffy and Giles share a precious moment. Spoilers: Through Chosen S7 Disclaimer: Not mine although I wish they were. All I own is an overactive imagination. The ingenious invention of the Buffy-Verse belongs to Joss, Fox, ME and co. Feedback: As always... DEFINITELY! Notes: Just a small reminder that at this point in the 'series', Buffy is 6 months along. Also, the usual side notes - *Emphasis* [Thoughts] Thanks: To Caroline, Angela, Jac and my mother for your experienced help with research. Thanks also to Deb and JBG for being such great betas. *hug*  
  
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"...My number one priority is you and the babies. That's the only gift I'm going to concern myself with - keeping you three safe."  
  
Buffy smiled a watery smile to her husband and allowed herself to give in to the tumultuous emotions within as she felt his arms tighten around her. She blinked back the sudden tears of overwhelming happiness and wrapped her arms around him in return.  
  
"And..." Her voice wavered as the tears threatened to choke her and she paused for a moment to try and calm herself. Giles smiled softly in understanding while she gathered her thoughts. She tried again. "What about you? Are *you* okay? You've been very quiet in here for a long time." Concern filled her eyes, replacing the tears, as she added, "Nothing's wrong, is it?"  
  
"No, Love." He pressed a long, sweet kiss to her forehead and she felt a reassuring warmth flood her soul upon hearing the smile in his voice. "Nothing's wrong at all. Everything's perfect."  
  
She sighed blissfully as he tucked her head under his chin, continuing to hold her tightly.  
  
Perfect. [Yep, indeedy, that's exactly what it is. Nothing else can come close to what we have. It's just... perfection.] Buffy gave another soft sigh and buried her face into her husband's collar, inhaling his presence.  
  
"I love you... so much," she murmured. She felt him shiver delightfully beneath her cheek and at the same time a contented groan escaped him. He raised a hand to stroke her hair lovingly.  
  
"And I love you, too, Darling... I love you, too."  
  
She heard his breath catch for a brief second before he pulled back slightly and gently kissed her brow once more. As his lips left her skin, she titled her head back and gazed up at him, pretending not to notice the way his eyes glistened with unshed tears. Yet her body would not deny the scene before her eyes, her heart beating a touch quicker in acknowledgement of just how deeply this incredible man loved her.  
  
"Giles... I..."  
  
Buffy paused as a myriad of emotions filled her. What could she possibly say to express how her heart responded to his love?  
  
"I..."  
  
Again she stopped, this time a small gasp escaping as her eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Buffy? Love?"  
  
Giles stepped suddenly out of the embrace, holding his wife at arm's length as he searched her eyes with concern and confusion. Fear started to creep into his heart as he realised she seemed to be holding her breath.  
  
"Buffy, speak to me! What's wrong?"  
  
"I... I..."  
  
She released the breath she'd been holding with a long whoosh, still trying to make sense of what she'd just felt. Wait... there it was again... it felt like when she'd had an attack of butterflies mere seconds before Giles had proposed, but magnified a hundred times... almost as if there were real butterflies moving within her. The movement was stronger this time... the flutter steadier and more defined.  
  
"Oh, oh... oh my..." Tears sprung anew to her eyes and Buffy found herself drawing another deep breath as realisation and rapture hit her. Eagerly, she soaked the feeling up, losing herself to it.  
  
"Buffy! Please! Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Her husband's frantic pleading at last broke into her thoughts and she turned her wide eyes up to meet his worry-filled ones.  
  
"Giles." She breathed his name in awe. "I'm... I'm having your babies." A tremor of pure joy tickled her spine as she heard herself say those wondrous words. The tears finally spilt over as she repeated her statement through a ragged breath. "We're... Rupert, we're... I'm really gonna have your babies."  
  
Confusion still clouding his gaze, he pulled her close to him, trying to understand what was going on. He tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke softly into the ear of the trembling woman in his arms. "Of course you are, Love. That's why I was building the crib, remember?"  
  
She pulled out of his arms, shaking her head vigorously and reached for his hand before he could try to pull her back to him again.  
  
"No... yes... I mean... Giles... come here." How she managed to work out that command was beyond her understanding. Right now, she was having a hard time getting her brain and mouth to communicate.  
  
Mystified, Giles allowed his wife to lead his hand to her belly, deciding that it would be wise to stay silent until she explained her actions.  
  
"Our babies are in here," she stated quietly.  
  
He could only nod silently in response, wondering what on earth she was going to say next. Just as he'd predicted, her next - unexpected - words stunned him further.  
  
"Say hello to Daddy, you two."  
  
The silent stillness lingered and, just as he was beginning to question his sanity, he felt his wife's tummy quiver ever so slightly beneath his hand. It was the subtlest of movements, yet it brought an indescribable feeling of completion to his heart as comprehension dawned.  
  
"Oh, dear Lord. You... I... we..."  
  
"Uh-huh." She grinned up at him through her tears, her entire expression conveying that she was only half-there... the rest of her being floating on a sea of happiness. "You were right." She whispered, raising a hand to caress his cheek.  
  
Lifting an eyebrow, he leaned into her touch and absently echoed her movements as he stroked her abdomen.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Everything's perfect."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
END 


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